Connecticut's Cabernet Franc--The Little Grape That Could

Greetings, we (Tricia and Dave) would like to welcome you to the first post of grapeswithdinner.blogspot.com!  Hopefully you have read a little about us in our profile and share our passion of good food and wine and such have chosen to join us in this journey.  Either that or you’re a friend of ours who doesn’t want us to look too pathetic with no followers…we’re fine with both!

So as most of you know it is winter here in New England.  When faced with a free Sunday afternoon in while buried under at least a foot of snow the only choice is to head indoors for some vacation from the weather via libations…at least that’s what we believe

Last Sunday we decided to head down to some vineyards in Connecticut that we had heard about through the grapevine (sorry, I had to, it was unavoidable) and do just that.  Unbeknownst to both of us the Connecticut Wine Trail is home to more than 20 wineries that boast a few great varietals both red and white.  What a great discovery and a perfect platform for our first blog post.

We visited two lovely wine houses called Maugle Sierra located in the town of Ledyard and Saltwater Farm in Stonington. Saltwater's tasting room manager is Paul Peloquin, extremely knowledgeable about his wines and entertaining to boot!

Growing wine in Connecticut is difficult. Though the climate does not bode well for  traditional grape varieties like Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, a little innovation can make all the difference. Cabernet Franc is a popular grape grown throughout Connecticut, and it is one of the two grape varieties in the Sunset Red.  Cabernet Franc is an original variety in France, and the fore bearer to its close relative, the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. The moral of the story here is that if you like Cabernet Savignon you will like the Cabernet Franc, it's just slightly lighter.

At Maugle Sierra, they have taken the Cabernet Franc to another level with the addition of estate grown St. Croix grapes, a variety originally from Wisconsin.  Tricia and I both found this grape to be fascinating. The addition of St. Croix adds a striking dimension to the wine, providing it with a full bodied fruity and lively profile. The wine is noted for its red pepper spice, and black currant fruit. This wine also harbors a touch of sweetness making it semi-dry.

If you find yourself in or around Stonington Connecticut, pick yourself up a bottle of the Cabernet Franc from one of the wineries like Saltwater Vineyards and then a bottle from Maugle Sierra, you will notice the difference.  Both of these wines are pocketbook-friendly at around $20 per bottle.

Try the Maugle Siera with grilled meats and robust pasta dishes or with chocolate truffles.  For the Saltwater Vinyards Cabernet Franc try Dave's lovely bruschetta with roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella that he's included below.

Bruschetta with Yellow Pepper Sauce, Roasted Tomatoes, and Fresh Mozzarella

1 loaf Ciabatta or other crusty italian bread
1 clove garlic
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 small onion
1 scant cup white wine
1/2 container grape tomatoes, halved
1 ball fresh mozzarella
salt to taste
fresh basil,
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat your oven to 375, halve your grape tomatoes and place them on a baking sheet in the oven for approx. 4 minutes until they soften then remove and set aside.
Slice the ciabatta bread into approx. 1" thick slices and place flat on a baking sheet.  Drizzle the slices lightly with some EVOO on both sides. 
Place baking sheet in the oven and allow the slices to toast for a few minutes on each side until golden brown.
Once you remove the slices from the oven allow them to cool slightly, enough to be able to handle.
Cut one garlic clove in half and rub the tops of each slice (one side) then top with slices of the fresh mozzarella, the grape tomatoes (a few on each slice) and some fresh chopped basil.
Sprinkle with sea salt to taste and another drizzle of EVOO and ENJOY!!

**If you want to make this even better you can do a yellow pepper sauce to top the slices with by cooking 1/2 of a chopped yellow pepper and 1/2 of a chopped onion in approx. 1 cup of white wine (use enough wine to just cover the veggies and use one that you would drink!) .  Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat slightly. Cook down until much of the wine is cooked out, approx. 10 minutes then Puree it in a blender or food processor and season it with a little salt. You can drizzle a little olive oil into the blender if you want the sauce to be smoother. Top the  toasted garlic rubbed bread with it then follow the steps above (don't forget to drink the rest of your white wine with it too!)

Bon appetit!!


Thanks for reading our post.  Keep your eyes out for more....coming soon.